County Hurdle Tips & Predictions
The County Hurdle Betting Tips
The County Hurdle is open to horses aged five years or older and is a Grade 3 race that takes place on the final day of Cheltenham.
Get your eggs in a row ahead of the race and find the best County Hurdle betting tips! Whether finding expert insight from legends of the sport or compiling tips through independent research, preparing properly is the best method of ensuring an enjoyable and exciting festival.
14.10 - BetMGM County Handicap Hurdle (2m 1f)
Dan Skelton & Willie Mullins have dominated this race in recent years, but this year could see a change, and it may be Paul Nicholls who wins the County Hurdle. Afadil came into the season looking very well handicapped, after ending last season with an impressive win. It’s taken a while for him to get going this season, but he looked back to his best last time out at Musselburgh, and could run a big race here.
Understanding County Hurdle Tips
The Cheltenham Festival hosted the first-ever County Hurdle in 1920. For years, it was the curtain closer to the event. However, a re-jigging of the order in 2009 means it is now scheduled for 2.10 pm on 17th March.
A sharp contest over 2 miles and 1 furlong with 20+ entrants, the County Hurdle has been popular for the bigger-priced winners over the years, unsurprisingly, given the number of runners in the field.
A clear run around the course and fleet-of-footedness away from the jumps are essential to success in this race.
Top County Hurdle Contenders
At the time of writing, King of Kingsfield heads the betting in the County Hurdle, while Iberico Lord and Absurde are second and third favourites, respectively.
The Gordon Elliott-trained King of Kingsfield was a 12/1 outsider in the recent Tattersalls Ireland 50th Derby Sale Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on 4th February but was bested by Ballyburn and Slade Steel, who will be racing elsewhere at the Cheltenham Festival. The horse may run in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle which would be a step too far for the horse in our opinion. However, it should find that this Premier Handicap suits the horse well.
As it stands, over 80 horses are still entered into the race, so it could be well worth waiting until Sunday before making a bet.
County Hurdle Betting Tips
How can County Hurdle betting tips best be followed up?
Win Bet Pick the winner and get paid out at the respective odds if it wins.
Each Way Bet Two bets - one half of the total stake used for the Win Part of the bet and the other used for the Place Part. If the horse finishes second, the Place Part will return winnings according to the predefined odds calculation.
Place Bet The total stake is placed on the horse to finish in the places. You will not be paid out at the winning odds if it wins.
Strategies for Betting on the County Hurdle There are several valuable approaches to give yourself the best chance of returning from Cheltenham with a profit!
Assessing the Form of the Horses Has it been on a winning run? How does the form match up to its rivals? Have any of the rivals it has faced in previous races gone on to beat anything of note? These are all essential considerations when painting the picture of a horse in form.
Identifying the Value Bets Use the horse's form to locate the best bets. If a horse has won five times in a row and the form holds up, but it is still priced in double figures, this could represent excellent value.
Bankroll Management Set limits to your losses before the festival to ensure a fun and safe experience!
Factors to Consider When Placing a Bet All of these factors could also fall under your betting strategy:
Ground Conditions There are seven types of ground classifications in the UK horse racing sphere. Your horse may have past form that indicates a preference for the ground. For example, if your horse is built for tests of stamina, softer/heavier turf will suit them more due to the energy-sapping nature of having more give in the ground.
The seven classifications of ground for turf racecourses are as follows:
- Hard
- Firm
- Good to firm
- Good
- Good to soft
- Soft
- Heavy
Weight Carried by the Horse
Does the handicapper fairly attribute weight to the horse? If your fancy has absolutely bolted up to victory in previous races, it may be hit hard by the handicapper in the weights. Do your research to ensure the weighting is fair with respect to its rivals.
Jockey's Riding Style
If you know your horse gets going late down the straight, checking out the jockey's riding style may be helpful. For example, some riders are experts in biding their time and producing their horses late in the day. The pairing between man and beast is a vital consideration.
County Hurdle Tips Trends and Statistics
Historical Trends and Statistics
This is not a race where the favourite thrives, with just two of the previous 14 County Hurdle winners going off as favourites.
The lighter, the better. In 11 of the previous 14 runnings of this race, the winning horse carried 11 st 1 lb or less.
The fountain of youth springs eternal in the County Hurdle, with 11 of the previous 14 winners aged five or six.
Whether you believe in stats and trends or prefer to go with your heart, trends and statistics help to paint a picture of what sort of race to expect.
It should be a cracking renewal of the County Hurdle in what will be an open affair. It's devilish work trying to find a winner, but if we were forced to pick a winner, Pembroke could be worth a second look. Trainer Dan Skelton is bullish on his chances.
County Hurdle FAQs
When is the County Hurdle?
The County Hurdle takes place at 2.10 pm on Friday, 15th March.
Who is the Favourite to Win the 2024 Renewal?
The current favourite to win the County Hurdle is Kings Of Kingsfield
Who Won the 2023 Renewal of the County Hurdle?
The Dan Skelton-trained Faivoir came through the field to win as 33/1. Outsiders winning this race isn't a rarity with over 20 runners in most years.
What is the Distance of the County Hurdle?
The sharp 2-mile 179y course will likely ensure plenty of pace from the beginning.
Who is the Most Successful Trainer in the County Hurdle?
Cheltenham Festival titan Willie Mullins has won the renewal of this race six times — Thousand Stars (2010), Final Approach (2011), Wicklow Brave (2015), Arctic Fire (2017), Saint Roi (2020) & State Man (2022).
